Spirit Born
by xXZombii
Summary: Earth, Fire, Water, Air-came together. A gray film of ash blanketed the sky. There was a battle field riddled with the dead-some of his people and some of the other worlders. Their blood interwoven, seeping into the earth's soil. Above it all stood Naruto with fire in his eyes and wind in his hair. The very earth and sea bowed beneath him. Sasunaru
1. Prologue

**Hey everyone,**

 **I know it's been forever since I submitted a story or updated, but I wanted to start again. I am sorry to say that I will not be continuing Slave to Your Love. It's just been so long, and maybe eventually I will get back to it. I'm sorry once again!**

 **But I am starting a new story that I hope you guys will enjoy. And please leave a review so I know if this is something people are interested in!**

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Iruka nestled the baby against his chest, making sure the little one was secure. The early morning sun's heat, settled over them like a fog, and his skin was slick with sweat from traveling throughout the night. He moved quietly and sure-footed along the rocky mountain pass. Any misstep could send him plunging to his death, and the blood that stained the tips of his daggers would have been for nothing.

Although this particular summer season was far worse than their normal summers, being forced to work the fields as a slave allowed him to move freely under the sun's jarring glare with only mild annoyance. He would have never thought the years of his imprisonment would have prepared him for the journey ahead. Throughout his captivity, he was forced to work for hours-days even with no food or water. He tucked away many of his feelings, burying them somewhere far reaching inside until pain, discomfort, sadness became foreign in his own mind. Only now something caught fire in his veins and without realizing it a deep rooted anger began to fester under layers of obedience, of fear, of silence. Years of choked screams, of being beaten to near death and begging to be folded in its' arms. . Anger had finally broke free and it began to spread like wildfire. He felt it trickle down his arms to the palms of his calloused hands, descending further to his scarred legs all the while sweat licked at his honey brown skin. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

An irritated growl escaped his pressed lips, "For Mother's sake damn this heat" he snapped. With a shake of his head, he mentally chided himself for using the Creator's name in vain. As the former spiritual leader of the earth clan, he still held himself accountable for upholding respect and dignity for the Divine. Yet now and even then the Spirits had to know he was not perfect when they chose him of all people. He was never the best student but somehow the earth spirit chosen him to be its vessel. And yet again the spirits had chosen him to protect their people's future. But between then and now a lot has changed, even though his willingness to be of service still remained. He was not his old self. He was a shell of a human being like many of his former clans people, but he was worse because hanging over him was death. Killing one human is like killing human kind itself. He would never be fully whole as what happens when everything you belong to is ripped apart from you. His language. His heritage. His culture. Everything that makes one whole, makes one belong to something bigger than oneself, was torn away. They were only shadows of what they once were. A proud race of the Elements. A race where there were those born with the ability to call forth the power of the four Spirits that ruled the earth granted to them by the Mother. His people were meant to be caretakers of the earth but instead man's desires had manipulated the earth and stained its surface with wasted blood. He could still feel the presence of earth in his bones, even if it's' once lively essence dulled, it still resided somewhere inside.

The stirring against his chest brought his attention back to the baby. It still took his breath away when the infant looked up at him. His bright blue eyes shined like two blue gems. Three whisker like tattoos decorated either side of his cheeks a testament to his lineage. The newborn whimpered, while staring at Iruka with his nose scrunched up, as if he too was annoyed by the heat. A smile tugged at Iruka's lips, as he ran his fingers through the baby's thick, curly blonde hair.

Naruto was something completely different yet the same. He was of their people, but he was also so much more. He was the thread that would tie their people together after years of harsh treatment and slavery. He would make them whole again. The moment Iruka's fingertips brushed against the child after he pulled Naruto from his dying mother's womb images began to ripple through Iruka's mind like memories.

 _Earth, Fire, Water, Air-came together. A gray film of ash blanketed the sky. There was a battle field riddled with the dead-some of his people and some of the other worlders. Their blood interwoven, seeping into the earth's soil. Above it all stood Naruto with fire in his eyes and wind in his hair. The very earth and sea bowed beneath him. On either side of him stood spirit wielders._

The scene sent chills up and down Iruka's aching body and filled him with something he thought he'd never feel-hope. It was that moment he knew he needed to save the child, and he realized why the King ordered the killing of spirit users. He knew what was to come.

Iruka reminded himself to keep his thoughts guarded, not even his own mind was safe so long as he was still so close to the King's keep. He pressed forward, making sure to close his mind's door to any who wished to enter. With the door sealed no one could lead soldiers right to them and slitting their throats. He didn't even make it halfway to the forest of Khorid where they would be safe. He had no doubt that the guards had already found the dead bodies of the night watch and the missing newborn. He kept his eyes forward. It would be several days before they reached the furthest part of the forest. Each step came more steady and vigorous than the next.


	2. Chapter 1: Fire

Red painted the color of his dreams, and death clung to his body like smoke. It wrapped around his ankles, slithered its way past his hips , and finally ended at his sun-kissed throat. Abruptly the scene changed, and he's falling from a red sky, plummeting and then submerging into a pool of bloody water. Corpse brushed against his body. They looked at him with eyes open wide, pleadingly. His throat burned, aching for air. He kicked his feet beneath him and reached his arms toward the surface. His head finally broke through the waves, and he waded toward land. Behind him the corpse began to rise. His name rolled off of their tongues like sand paper. _Naruto._

He began to run. Each time his feet touched the sand a stabbing pain stretched up his legs. His heartbeat against his chest like a bird's wings against a cage. The smell of rotting flesh, propelled him forward. He could hear their grunts and snarls very close behind. Ahead of him was the forest where he spent all his childhood days playing, he threw himself forward into the mouth of the forest. It all went black, and he woke with a sinking feeling.

The sun had not yet risen, and it was still dark in their small hut. He could already feel Kurama pacing anxiously before he even whispered his name. _Kurama._ Naruto held out his palm, and watched as Kurama rose from his outstretched hand.. Kurama's eyes mirrored his own fear. The nine-tail's body was made up of beautiful oranges and reds. His eyes a translucent blue. His usual playful gaze held a dark, guarded look. A secret was buried behind those eyes. Somewhere inside of Naruto he could hear Kurama growl. He tried to muster a smile as he ran his fingers along the fox's fiery body. Naruto could hear Kurama like he could hear his own thoughts. His presence felt to Naruto as his own. He could no more get rid of the fox than he could get rid of his own consciousness.

Naruto quietly rose not wanting to wake Iruka, the older man hardly slept. He often woke to find Iruka sipping the herbal tea he usually made to relieve his aches. But not today. Today his teacher was still asleep. Naruto guessed it was more than Iruka's body that brought him pain and kept him awake. Iruka rarely smiled, and if he did, it didn't quite reach his eyes. Whatever sleep his teacher got, he would not be the one to snatch it away.

Naruto made his way to the door, slipping through he began to run. His bare feet pound against the cold, forest floor. His breaths came in slow and steady. His eyes closed as he trusted his instincts to take over. His body cut through the air in one fluid motion. Branches brushed against his arms and legs. He didn't need to look to know Kurama was there running alongside him-flames flowing from his lethal body. He towered next to him, even in his smaller form.

It took every part of Naruto to focus on running instead of the gnawing fear that had settled in the pit of his stomach. When he finally stopped, his throat burned and his legs ached. But it wasn't the throbbing in his limbs that kept him from going forward. He reached the forest opening, if he ran any further he would never hear the end of it from Iruka. He was to never leave the protection of the forest. Iruka had told him stories of how their people are treated. A lot of them are forced into slavery, while others could barely make a living. If he was caught by nearby soldiers, he could be turned in as a runaway. He'd be sold off to the highest bidder and become someone else's property, if they didn't just kill him first.

While there were times he felt trapped in the forest, there were also times that he was the most free. He rose with the sun and slept with the moon. There was no one to tell him no other than Iruka, and Iruka rarely denied him anything. The only rule was to never leave the forest.

A fondness entered his heart whenever his thoughts lead to Iruka. Naruto's world began and ended with the grouchy, foul mouth man. Even if Iruka never smiled or laughed, he filled Naruto with a sense of happiness. Even if he did not come from Iruka, Iruka had raised Naruto as his own.

Naruto felt Kurama brush against his body, rubbing his head against Naruto's shoulder. _We should get back._ Kurama said. Naruto nodded his head in agreement. As they began to head back, the fear returned and flooded his senses. But this time it was nauseating, and that's when he knew something was really wrong. He broke into a run. _Iruka_. _Please be okay, please_. Before he even arrived at their home, he could feel the smoke-taste it. It seeped into his skin. He saw a dozen men wearing navy uniform with a fan symbol on their backs. Soldiers. His heart stopped and his breath got caught in his throat. They were going to be killed.

Their home was ablaze. Fire swallowed their makeshift hovel whole. He watched in horror, as flames spread over the wood like outstretched fingers. His heart sank, and he felt as if his feet had grown roots that firmly dug into the earth beneath him. He looked over the soldiers frantically, searching for Iruka. He spotted a hunched over body being dragged along the forest floor. Iruka's wrist were tied together by rope that was attached to one of the soldier's horses.

Naruto crouched low to the ground, making sure to keep hidden. He looked at Kurama, and held out his hand watching as Kurama's essence absorbed into his body. Their anger and fear met and fused together. Kurama's strength spread throughout his body. Naruto's arms felt stronger, and his legs strained beneath him, waiting to leap. He licked his lips, and his eyes glossed over with the anticipation of a hunt. His mind began thinking of the best way to free his teacher. His skills using the flames were still underdeveloped, and he could hardly use them without losing control.

His hands brushed against the twin daggers at his hips. The cold, steel still felt foreign against his fingertips. So much more different than the wooden, practice blades he was use too. They had been a gift from Iruka. Iruka didn't say it at the time, but Naruto knew they were important to him. The hilt was made up of steel vines that twisted and met where the blade began. Iruka had always carried them with him up until he gave them to Naruto on the boy's seventeenth age day just a few months before. _Iruka_

Without thinking Naruto catapulted himself forward, feeling his feet barely touch the floor as he flew across the forest. He held the daggers ready as he confronted one of his teacher's captors. The soldier stood about two heads taller than him. The soldier removed his sword from its' sheath. A cocky grin spread across his face, as he looked Naruto up and down.

"Come to play have ya," the soldier charged at Naruto carelessly. Even though the older man was a lot bigger, Naruto was quick and a lot stronger than most would assume. And Naruto would take advantage of the man's arrogance. He blocked the slash of the soldier's sword with a side step before turning on him and slashing at his back. The soldier shook with anger, as he turned back to Naruto a little quicker than what Naruto expected. Naruto jumped back, egging him on, "What happened there big guy."

The soldier's brows furrowed, and his jaw clamped shut. He came at Naruto once more and this time Naruto met him. Naruto's daggers pressed against his sword. They stood-force against force. The soldier's back leg gave way first in surprise and that's when Naruto took his opportunity. His blade slid across the bigger man's throat. He watched as blood bubbled up from the soldier's mouth and slid down his neck. And for a brief moment Naruto staggered. Something dark and ancient spread through his veins. He could feel a surge of power. Flames escaped his body. Growing until they engulfed him. He only saw red, as he killed every last soldier in his wake.

"Naruto!"

Naruto fell to his knees, and looked at Iruka. In the boy's hands was a head of one of the fallen soldiers. Naruto could hear Iruka calling out to him.

"You fool," Iruka hissed. His mentor held him, and his world went black.


End file.
